Two snooker players who used to date had a very awkward encounter during their match against one another this week.
Mark Allen and Reanne Evans have a 14-year-old child with one another but broke up in 2008, with Allen having previously been critical of women joining the professional World Snooker Tour.
And the former couple's contest didn't quite get off to the best start.
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With Evans set to break, Allen approached the table and held his arm out for a fist bump, but his former partner completely ignored his advances and left him hanging.
The excruciating moment didn't go unnoticed by viewers at home, who took to Twitter to share their thoughts on what was one of the strangest sporting events ever.
One person wrote: "Gripped by Mark Allen v Reanne Evans. Has there ever been a sporting competition played between ex-partners? Struggling to think of one!"
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Another perplexed spectator chimed in: "Oooo there's some spice in this Allen v Evans match in the snooker."
A third said: "Reanne Evans really just ignored Mark Allen's fist before the match looooool."
While another added: "Rianne Evans refused Mark Allen's fist bump and wow this could be exciting."
Despite the tense nature of the match, the world number 10, Allen, managed to pull through, clinching the match 3-2.
The 35-year-old took the final two frames to put himself through to the second round of the British Open in Leicester.
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Speaking after the match, Allen said he was proud of his conduct.
He said: "It was horrible, it's not something I want to really go through too often, but we had to try and remain as professional as possible and I think I did that very well.
"I think I can hold my head very high with the way I handled it out there."
The couple are known to have had their differences in the past, with Allen having asked for Evans to be removed from a TV studio next to his practice table at the World Championships in April, claiming her presence was a distraction.
When asked about the snubbed fist-bump, Allen said: "I'd rather not answer that one.
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"I didn't play my best but I thought I treated it like any other match, I showed respect where respect was due.
"I thought Reanne played really, really well the first three-and-a-half frames and was just unfortunate with a cannon not to go on and win 3-1. But I just hung in there and then made a one-visit in the last."
Evans downplayed the apparent snub, saying she was just doing as she was told.
She said: "I was told at the start there were no handshakes or anything, and just in my head I was visualising the start of the match so I just went straight to the table.
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"I'm proud I'm competing, it's just a little bit of experience and hopefully in a few more matches, I might get that win.
"No one wanted that match, did they? But you have to respect that top players do what they do and it's sport, we're in the same sport so it's always going to happen."
Featured Image Credit: ITVTopics: SPORT, Couple, Dating, UK Entertainment, Relationship
